To be alerted to any problems with their electrical system and its equipment, generation plant operators need reliable and accurate power quality monitoring. The power quality data must also be communicated to the power management system utilized by the plant.

EIG’s extensive line of advanced power quality meters analyze and report on all power quality indices, such as voltage and current unbalance, harmonic magnitudes, frequency, power factor, etc. They offer high resolution waveform recording and programmable alarm limits for any parameters the meters measure. This data is essential for maintaining optimal functionality of the generation plant.

For integration of utility metering data with existing SCADA and other energy management systems, EIG meters have extensive communication options. Depending on the specific EIG meter, the following communication modes are available:

Depending on the specific mode, the following communication protocols are supported:

LTE is a trademark of ETSI.

Maintaining high power quality is essential for successful transmission of electricity. EIG offers advanced power quality meters that meet the highest standards for PQ analysis. They enable you to set limits on all measured parameters and receive emailed alarms if the programmed limits are exceeded. In this way, operators are alerted immediately to conditions that negatively affect power quality, such as voltage surges and sags and current fault events. EIG’s PQ meters measure harmonic magnitude, THD, TDD, power factor, frequency, and all other PQ indices. They offer up to 1024 samples/cycle of waveform recording for post-event analysis.

In addition to measuring power quality, EIG meters offer high accuracy energy measurement. Use our meters to digitize information from substations and critical points on the transmission lines. This information provides a voltage reference for all metered points that is easily communicated to the transmission SCADA or other systems. This voltage reference information is crucial for maintaining transmission system voltage reliability.

To support transmission substation automation, EIG’s power and energy meters support Modbus serial, Modbus over Ethernet, and DNP 3.0 for substation communication. Many EIG meters also support IEC 61850 for seamless integration into substation automation applications. The Nexus^® 1450 and 1500+ meters also offer GOOSE reporting that can be used to capture waveform events from many different areas of the electrical grid. This capability supports post-event analysis, as well as real time awareness of conditions on the grid.

Distribution operators must ensure that the power they distribute meets the requirements of both their customers and government regulations. They also need to make sure any distribution line-connected renewables are not injecting harmonics and/or voltage variability into the distribution lines. To answer these challenges, the distribution system needs comprehensive power quality metering with alarm capability.

EIG’s advanced power quality (PQ) meters offer unrivaled PQ analytics and are certified to the IEC 61000-4-30 Class A Edition 3 standard for PQ meters. Capabilities include up to 1024 samples/cycle waveform recording at 16-bit resolution and transient capture at 50 MHz sampling speed. The meters have limit alarms programming on all measured parameters, for example harmonics and voltage, to dynamically alert operators when conditions arise that need their attention. They offer real time power and energy measurements, harmonics, THD and TDD, and support power quality reporting, including CBEMA and SEMI F47 support. EIG’s PQ meters provide:

• Waveform analysis
• Certified Flicker and Harmonics measurement
• EN 50160 Reporting
• Limit controls using multi-level programming logic
• Alarms on exceeded limits
• Status input triggers
• Voltage reliability measurements

For distribution customers with existing SCADA systems, EIG meters have extensive communication options for integration into those systems. Depending on the specific EIG meter, the following communication modes are available:

Depending on the specific mode, the following communication protocols are supported:

LTE is a trademark of ETSI.

Utilities must ensure voltage compatibility between renewable energy sources and the grid’s voltage. Additionally, power factor, frequency, and harmonics are critical parameters for electrical utilities to monitor to maintain power reliability. EIG’s advanced power quality meters address both the needs of ensuring compatibility and maintaining optimal power quality.

Electrical utilities are mandated to keep their voltage levels within a specified range. To be aligned with the utility’s voltage requirements, a solar installation must inject current without affecting the voltage in the distribution line, e.g., causing a rise in voltage. Being able to monitor the voltage and current characteristics in real time enables utilities to ensure voltage compatibility.

Since solar-generated energy is DC, inverters are used to change the current to the AC that the grid uses. Older inverters can add harmonics to the grid, lessening power quality and reliability. Meters that provide real time power quality data at the point of delivery can be used to monitor and ensure that harmonics are not being introduced to the grid by renewable sources. Limit alarms set on voltage levels, harmonic magnitudes, and power factor can enable utilities to take immediate action, e.g., stopping the renewable source from adding current if the grid voltage is in danger of rising too high or if power factor is being negatively affected.

EIG’s line of advanced power quality meters are certified to ANSI 61000-4-30 Class A, Ed. 3, the highest international PQ standard. In addition to providing real time power quality measurement and high-speed waveform capture, they offer programmable limit alarms on all measured parameters. This means that operators are notified immediately of any PQ problems, such as voltage variability, and can act before the problems escalate and cause power interruptions or damage to equipment.

For renewables-connected utility distribution and transmission systems that utilize synchrophasor applications, EIG offers the Nexus^® 1500+ power quality meter with synchrophasors that meet IEEE C37.118. As a PMU, the Nexus^® 1500+ meter: